Nakamura Kichiemon II
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese
actor
, kabuki performer and costume designer
. He is a so-called Living National Treasure.
Nakamura Kichiemon is a formal kabuki stage name. The actor's grandfather first appeared using the name in 1897; and Nakamura Kichiemon I
continued to use this name until his death. Kichiemon I was the maternal grandfather of Kichiemon II.
In the conservative Kabuki world, stage names are passed from father to son in formal system which converts the kabuki stage name into a mark of accomplishment. In choosing to be known by the same stage name as his grandfather, the living kabuki performer honors his family relationships and tradition.
, Chiyoda, Tokyo
, he was the second son of Ichikawa Somegorō V, later known as Matsumoto Kōshirō VIII, and finally as Matsumoto Hakuō I
. Matsumoto Kōshirō IX
is his older brother. Kichiemon's mother, the daughter of Nakamura Kichiemon I
, gave her second son in adoption to her father.
He attended Waseda University
. His yagō is "Harimaya" and his crest is the ageha-no-chō butterfly of the Taira clan
.
and television, Kichiemon is famous in the role of Musashibō Benkei
, whom he has portrayed on stage in Kanjinchō
and Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura
. He also played the title character in the NHK
jidaigeki
series Musashibō Benkei. Another heroic role was Ōboshi Yuranosuke (the historical Ōishi Kuranosuke
) in Kanadehon Chūshingura
, the story of the Forty-seven Ronin
.
He assumed the television role of Hasegawa Heizō ("Onihei") in the Shōtarō Ikenami
series Onihei Hankachō
. It ran through nine series, from 1989 to 2001, and has recurred in short series and specials since, the most recent being in 2007. His father had previously played Onihei.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, kabuki performer and costume designer
Costume Designer
A costume designer or costume mistress/master is a person whose responsibility is to design costumes for a film or stage production. He or she is considered an important part of the "production team", working alongside the director, scenic and lighting designers as well as the sound designer. The...
. He is a so-called Living National Treasure.
Nakamura Kichiemon is a formal kabuki stage name. The actor's grandfather first appeared using the name in 1897; and Nakamura Kichiemon I
Nakamura Kichiemon I
was a Japanese actor and kabuki performer. In 1945, he became the senior living kabuki actor in Japan.Kichiemon construed his career in terms of "lifelong study" of that which cannot be seen in an actor's performance....
continued to use this name until his death. Kichiemon I was the maternal grandfather of Kichiemon II.
In the conservative Kabuki world, stage names are passed from father to son in formal system which converts the kabuki stage name into a mark of accomplishment. In choosing to be known by the same stage name as his grandfather, the living kabuki performer honors his family relationships and tradition.
Early life
Born in KōjimachiKojimachi
is a neighborhood in Chiyoda, Tokyo.Prior to the arrival of Tokugawa Ieyasu, it was known as . The area developed as townspeople settled along the Kōshū Kaidō. In 1878 Kōjimachi became a ward in the city of Tokyo. It was the forerunner of Chiyoda which is now a special ward.The Kōjimachi ward was...
, Chiyoda, Tokyo
Chiyoda, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards in central Tokyo, Japan. In English, it is called Chiyoda ward. As of October 2007, the ward has an estimated population of 45,543 and a population density of 3,912 people per km², making it by far the least populated of the special wards...
, he was the second son of Ichikawa Somegorō V, later known as Matsumoto Kōshirō VIII, and finally as Matsumoto Hakuō I
Matsumoto Hakuo I
, born , was a Japanese Kabuki actor, regarded as the leading tachiyaku of the postwar decades; he also performed in a number of non-kabuki venues, including Western theatre and films...
. Matsumoto Kōshirō IX
Matsumoto Koshiro IX
is a Japanese kabuki actor, one of the most popular tachiyaku currently performing.Like many members of the kabuki community, he can trace his lineage back several generations, many members of his family being kabuki actors as well...
is his older brother. Kichiemon's mother, the daughter of Nakamura Kichiemon I
Nakamura Kichiemon I
was a Japanese actor and kabuki performer. In 1945, he became the senior living kabuki actor in Japan.Kichiemon construed his career in terms of "lifelong study" of that which cannot be seen in an actor's performance....
, gave her second son in adoption to her father.
He attended Waseda University
Waseda University
, abbreviated as , is one of the most prestigious private universities in Japan and Asia. Its main campuses are located in the northern part of Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as Tokyo Senmon Gakko, the institution was renamed "Waseda University" in 1902. It is known for its liberal climate...
. His yagō is "Harimaya" and his crest is the ageha-no-chō butterfly of the Taira clan
Taira clan
The was a major Japanese clan of samurai in historical Japan.In reference to Japanese history, along with Minamoto, Taira was a hereditary clan name bestowed by the emperors of the Heian Period to certain ex-members of the imperial family when they became subjects...
.
Career
Active in kabukiKabuki
is classical Japanese dance-drama. Kabuki theatre is known for the stylization of its drama and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers.The individual kanji characters, from left to right, mean sing , dance , and skill...
and television, Kichiemon is famous in the role of Musashibō Benkei
Saito Musashibo Benkei
, popularly called Benkei, was a Japanese warrior monk who served Minamoto no Yoshitsune. He is commonly depicted as a man of great strength and loyalty, and a popular subject of Japanese folklore.-Biography:...
, whom he has portrayed on stage in Kanjinchō
Kanjincho
Kanjinchō is a Japanese kabuki play by Namiki Gohei III, based on the Noh play Ataka. It is one of the most popular plays in the modern kabuki repertory....
and Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura
Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura
Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura , or Yoshitsune and the Thousand Cherry Trees, is a Japanese play, one of the three most popular and famous in the Kabuki repertoire...
. He also played the title character in the NHK
NHK
NHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
jidaigeki
Jidaigeki
is a genre of film, television, and theatre in Japan. The name means "period drama" and is usually the Edo period of Japanese history, from 1603 to 1868. Some, however, are set much earlier—Portrait of Hell, for example, is set during the late Heian period—and the early Meiji era is also a popular...
series Musashibō Benkei. Another heroic role was Ōboshi Yuranosuke (the historical Ōishi Kuranosuke
Oishi Yoshio
was the chamberlain of the Akō Domain in Harima Province , Japan . He is known as the leader of the Forty-seven Ronin in their 1702 vendetta and thus the hero of the Chūshingura...
) in Kanadehon Chūshingura
Kanadehon Chūshingura
Chūshingura is an 11-act bunraku puppet play composed in 1748. It is one of the most popular Japanese plays, ranked with Zeami's Matsukaze, although the vivid action of Chūshingura differs dramatically from Matsukaze...
, the story of the Forty-seven Ronin
Forty-seven Ronin
The revenge of the , also known as the Forty-seven Samurai, the Akō vendetta, or the took place in Japan at the start of the 18th century...
.
He assumed the television role of Hasegawa Heizō ("Onihei") in the Shōtarō Ikenami
Shotaro Ikenami
was a Japanese author.-Major works:Ikenami created several works, including:*Kenkaku Shōbai *Onihei Hankachō*Ninja Justice: Six Tales of Murder and Revenge...
series Onihei Hankachō
Onihei Hankacho
is a popular series of stories and television jidaigeki in Japan. A story by Shōtarō Ikenami in the December 1967 issue of the magazine "All Yomimono" developed into a series, which Bungei Shunju published the following year. In all, 135 stories were published....
. It ran through nine series, from 1989 to 2001, and has recurred in short series and specials since, the most recent being in 2007. His father had previously played Onihei.
Selected works
Nakamura's published writings encompass 25 works in 34 publications in 3 languages and 543 library holdings.- 2000 — 10-ISBN 410442501X/13-ISBN 9784104425013; OCLC 48917600
- 1996 — 10-ISBN 4838707088/13-ISBN 9784838707089; OCLC 36046366
External links
- Japan Art Academy (in Japanese)
- IMDB
- JMDB